STARKVILLE, MS (Ben Caxton) — One week into his second season, Mississippi State head baseball coach Andy Cannizaro has resigned. Pitching coach Gary Henderson takes over immediately as interim coach of the Diamond Dawgs. Social media reports surfaced Monday that the 39-year old Cannizaro had an improper relationship with a student. In a statement, Cannizaro said he had a wonderful opportunity at Mississippi State but unfortunately made some poor decisions. He leaves Starkville with a record of 40 wins and 30 losses.

JACKSON, MS (Ben Caxton) — The Mississippi State Senate yesterday approved Senate Bill 3046, which would divert $800 million of existing revenue and borrow up to $150 million for roads and bridges over the next six years. The House has proposed other infrastructure remedies and plans would have to be reconciled before they could go to Governor Phil Bryant for approval. Both Republican-controlled chambers have avoided increasing fuel taxes and both the House and Senate have focused on assistance to cities and counties at the possible expense of the state Department of Transportation. The state has customarily given $20 million a year for bridge replacements but approved no money last year and hasnt yet approved spending this year.

MISSISSIPPI (Ben Caxton) — A record 83 percent of Mississippi seniors graduated on time from high school last school year, even as lawmakers consider ending tests that affect whether students can graduate. The national graduation rate is 84 percent, and state education officials report graduation is up for all groups of students, with African Americans at 79.3 percent and children from lower-income families at 79.9 percent. The graduation rate for children with disabilities was a dismal 28 percent in 2015 and is now 36 percent. About 20 percent of students now graduate without passing end-of-course exams in English, algebra, biology and US history. Passing all four tests was required until 2014 when the state Board of Education voted to allow students to graduate if they could show alternate measures of proficiency. When those changes were made Mississippi’s graduation began to improve from 74.5 percent for the Class of 2014 to 83 percent now.

COLUMBUS, MS (Ben Caxton) — A 36-year old Columbus man who received two life sentences for sexually abusing two people and kidnapping one of them blame the devil and drugs. In 2015 Autravious Gaston stole a car, robbed a store at gunpoint and sexually assaulted two women, forcing one to drive his car during the assault. Gaston says the devil and drug addiction took over his life and he never meant to hurt anyone. Judge Jim Kitchens said Gaston showed no remorse and also sentenced him to five years for grand larceny, 30 years for kidnapping, 30 years for each count of sexual battery and 10 years for possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

JACKSON, MS (Ben Caxton) — A rare train-pedestrian collision has a 32-year-old man in the hospital in Jackson. The victim, who was not identified in the police report is believed to have been struck by the train on Lousiana Street in Jackson sometime before 7:00 AM Tuesday. He is reported to have suffered severe injuries. Police are investigating but do not know why he was on the tracks in the path of the oncoming train at this time.

VICKSBURG, MS (Ben Caxton) — A Vicksburg man used his President’s Day off from school to break back into the building and hold a book-burning. 19-year-old Bershard Devaun Brooks is accused of entering Warren Central High School sometime early Monday and setting fire to books and papers sitting on a desk in an office. The remains of the fire were discovered around 9:00 AM by maintenance staff who called the police. Brooks was arrested by Vicksburg Police in his home around 1:00 PM. Police say Brooks was a worker for a janitorial service company at the school, who used his codes to disable the school alarm system to gain access to the building. No motive has been determined and police are continuing their investigation.

JACKSON, MS (Ben Caxton) — A filling station fight that led to an exchange of gunfire wound up with a stray round hitting a nearby daycare in Jackson yesterday. Police responded to a call of shots fired at the Fast Fill gas station on Hanging Moss road near Nakoma Drive just after 1:00 PM. One of the bullets apparently struck the back of the Lil’ Angels Daycare across the street. No injuries were reported at either the daycare or the gas station.

VICKSBURG, MS (Ben Caxton) — The Vicksburg Convention and Visitor’s Bureau will soon be welcoming some new visitors of its own -the Vicksburg Police Department. On the agenda of the Board of Mayor and Aldermen for today’s meeting is approval of a lease to rent the bottom section floor of the building, which faces the west side of the Vicksburg Police Department, as space for classrooms for officer training.

SENATOBIA, MS (Ben Caxton) — When the only emergency room in Senatobia closes next month, Tate County residents will have to travel at least 30 minutes to Olive Branch, Hernando or Batesville for emergency medical care. North Oak Regional Medical Center has confirmed the emergency facility will close on March 19th but has yet to say why.

OXFORD, MS (Ben Caxton) — After saying he would step down at the end of the season, on Sunday Mississippi basketball coach Andy Kennedy made his resignation effective immediately. Assistant coach Tony Madlock will serve as Ole Miss’ acting head coach for the rest of the season. Kennedy said part of the reason he stepped down is to relieve external pressure on the team due to his uncertain job status. The departs with a final record of 245 wins and 156 losses 12 seasons, the school record for career victories. The Rebels had nine 20-win seasons and two NCAA Tournament appearances during Kennedy’s tenure and his 401 games at Ole Miss are the 10th-highest total by one coach at one school in SEC history.